Raiders set to collect big pokies windfallThe Canberra Raiders may reap a multi-million dollar windfall in pokies profits from the proposed trial of pre-commitment technology in the ACT.
With pokies players tipped to cross the border in droves to play on machines in NSW, the Raiders' parent organisation, the Queanbeyan Leagues Club, could cash in on any ACT pre-commitment trial.
The rugby league organisation is the biggest player in the region's pokies industry, operating more than 830 machines in Canberra and Queanbeyan.
The group could benefit from several million dollars in federal government compensation for taking part in the technology trial while profiting from Canberra gamblers crossing the border to play on machines that have not been fitted with the pre-commitment devices.
The ACT Clubs' peak body acknowledges that regional NSW clubs may benefit if they are not brought into the trial but the Raiders said it was not expecting an influx of cross-border punters.
Pokie player losses per machine in Queanbeyan are up to 60 per cent more than in Canberra with each machine across the border reaping its owners about $50,000 profit each year compared to average of $30,000 per machine in the ACT.
The Raiders Group earned nearly $17 million from 481 machines across five venues in the ACT and owns 353 pokies in its Queanbeyan club, out a total of 664 of poker machines in the Queanbeyan local government area.
Based on average losses' data from across the local government area, the Monaro Street club could gain up to $18 million in pre-tax profits from its gambling operation.
The Raiders, which has a senior executive who is also president of the Board of Clubs ACT, is the only outfit with machines on each side of the border.
Clubs ACT chief executive Jeff House said that the issue of ''seepage'' across the border had not yet been addressed.
''At the moment, venues across the border haven't been approached in any formal way,'' Mr House said.
''Until that happens, from the clubs' perspective, they're saying that they'll wait and see what's put on the table…
''The fact that they [the Raiders] own machines on both sides of the border is relevant in terms of the fact that they, as with any other venue across the border, stand to gain from any leakage that takes place.''
But Mr House said no operators on either side of the border were getting excited about the trial
''So, yes, any venue across the border will potentially benefit from the leakage, but the important context is that I don't think that any venue on either side of the border is necessarily rubbing their hands together saying this is all going to be fantastic,'' he said.
Queanbeyan Leagues Club general manager Jeremy Wyatt said that the organisation was not expecting much ''seepage''.
''When the ACT brought in its smoking laws before NSW, a lot of people said, 'Oh, they're all going to go across the border,' but we didn't see any of that and I don't believe that people will drive an extra 20 minutes to dodge mandatory pre-commitment,'' he said.
He could not comment on the prospect of participating in the trial because his organisation had not been approached.
''No one has come and approached us formally so I can't comment too much on that.''
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Topic: Raiders Set To Reap Rewards From Pokie Pre-commitment Trail
